OCTOBER 15, 2012
An
Escort Through The Valley
Read: Psalm 23
O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is
your victory?
—1 Corinthians 15:55
I’ve
heard people say, “I’m not afraid of death because I’m
confident that I’m going
to heaven; it’s the dying process that
scares me!” Yes, as Christians, we look
forward to heaven but
may be afraid of dying. We need not be ashamed to admit
that.
It is natural to be afraid of the pain that comes with dying, of
being
separated from our loved ones, of possibly impoverishing
our families, and of
regret over missed earthly opportunities.
Why
don’t Christians need to be afraid of death? Because Jesus
was raised from the
grave, and we who are in Christ will also be
raised. That is why in 1
Corinthians 15:56-57, Paul proclaimed:
“The sting of death is sin, and the
strength of sin is the law. But
thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The
dying process itself is but an escort that ushers us into eternity
with God. As
we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death,”
we can have this
confidence from God’s Word: “You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they
comfort me” (Ps. 23:4). The picture
here is of the Lord coming alongside us,
giving comfort and direction
as He escorts us through the dark valley to the
“house of theLord.”
There we will
dwell with Him forever (v.6).
Think of just crossing a river,
Stepping out safe on that shore,
Sadness and suffering over,
Dwelling with Christ evermore! —Anon.
Death is the last shadow before heaven’s dawn.
Source: Our Daily Bread 2012
